Welcome to merzbschwanen.com! We have adapted our privacy policy to the General Data Protection Regulation which is effective as of 25.05.2018. In order to provide you with the a pleasant online experience, we use cookies on our website. By accessing merzbschwanen.com you agree to the collection and use of cookies. Detailed information and how you can object to the use of cookies at any time can be found in our privacy policy Cookies, web analytics services and social media.

FAQ - frequently asked questions

brand

Where do you produce?

All of our shirts, bottoms and underwear are made on the Swabian Albs in Germany on original loopwheelers and knitting machines.

What materials do you use?

KbA cotton KbA is a german certificate which translates to “Controlled Organic Cultivation”. In order to call a garment “organic” or label it with the “kbA” certificate, it has to contain of at least 95% of controlled organic fibers, which have to be grown under special circumstances, for instance pesticide-free producing region. KbT wool KbT wool is used for our production, which is a german certificate and translates to “controlled biological husbandry”. The certification declares that the wool used for production only comes from sheep grazing on pesticide-free soil, where fertilizing is forbidden. Furthermore, the wool is processed under strict rules with regard to prohibition of detergents and heavy chemical processes such as superwash, antistatic or moth-treatment.

What is a loopwheeler?

A loopwheeler is a knitting machine which rotates around a cylinder, unwinding in its rotation one or several threads at a very slow pace to allow hundreds of needles to warp these threads layer after layer. The resulting “tubular knit” in most cases has no side seam given the fact that the circumference equals the size of the machine it was made on. So there is a fitting loopwheeler for every size. The main difference between knitting and warping is the course of the thread. In terms of knitting the thread runs horizontally, while it runs vertically when the fabric is warped. Loopwheelers were spread across the world in the textile industry until the 1960’s, when manufacturers started to replace them with new high-speed knitting machines in order to enhance their productivity.

What are the advantages of loopwheelers and tubular shirts?

During the knitting process, almost no pressure is put on the thread, which allows producing very soft and smooth fabrics. Moreover, it eliminates the problem of what is called “fabric twisting”, an issue you might have already experienced with other shirts: after some laundries, the side seams are no longer parallel. Without side seams on your Merz b. Schwanen shirt, this problem is non-existent. Energy efficiency, reliability and good working conditions - producing on loopwheelers is environmentally friendly and as the machines are very quiet during the production process and rarely need any replacement parts, it is very pleasant to work with them. All of our loopwheeeler are interconnected and are powered by one single impetus.

products

What materials do you use?

For our garments we use several different fabrics namely Maco Imit,Prima Qualität Leicht, Prima Qualität, Baumwolle 3-Fädig and Baumwolle 3-Fädig Schwer. See more information about each fabric here.

Why do you use viscose for your Maco-Imit fabric?

The cotton and viscose blend used today is an homage to the high-quality but expensive fabric back then. The addition of viscose helps recreate the special feel of maco-cotton, by conferring smoothness and a silky appearance to our fabric. Already a decade agate Macs-Imit existed and was revived by Merz b. Schwanen.

What is the difference between the 101 and the 102?

The difference lays in the length of the sleeves. The 7/8 sleeve of the 101 ends just before your wrist. The origin of this 7/8 length is ascribed to a former original worker’s shirt. In contrast the 102 has full length sleeves.

Is there a women's collection?

Many of our garments which are intended for men are worn by women as well. There is a specific women collection, which is available at select retailers.

What is the difference between the 1950s and the 215? The 1960s and 213? and the 1970s and 215V?

For each couple of styles mentioned above, cuts are very similar but the fabric is different. Prima Qualität Leicht is our lightest 100% cotton material and is used for our „19“ styles. Due to the use of two threads, Prima Qualität, warped with 2 threads, comes with a heavier haptics, which is characteristic for our styles starting with „2“.

How do I know which Merz b. Schwanen size is best for me?

Each Merz b. Schwanen garment has its own measurements due to its historic background. These can be found at the very bottom of almost every product description under “size & fit”. The best way to find the suitable size for you is to compare the measurements of one of your favorite shirts and compare them to the measurements of the Merz b. Schwanen piece you are looking for. If in doubt, the experience shows that most of the customers choose to order one size larger, than the size they usually wear.

The item I’m looking for is sold out. When will it be back in stock?

In terms of the availability of certain products, we distinguish between „always on stock“ items and seasonal items. Products in the colors white, nature, grey mel., ink blue, charcoal and deep black are „always on stock“ items and will be produced constantly. Seasonal items are items in specific colors which are exclusively produced for a particular season. These items will usually not be reproduced. To make sure that you don’t miss the time an item will be restocked, you can enter your e-mail address in our feature „e-mail me when available“. So you will receive a notification as soon as the item you are looking for is back in stock..

I’m looking to buy an item in store. Can you tell me who carries it?

Unfortunately, we have no insight what items the stores we provide with our products have in stock, as these are all independent retailers. You can easily find the nearest retailer in your area on our list of retailers.

Why do some Merz b. Schwanen sweatshirt have side seams?

There can be several reasons for the fact that some of our products have side seams. Our 347 raglan sweatshirt for example has a more rounded fit instead of a straight fit. This is only made possible by the take-up of side seams. Furthermore the special triangular patch under the arm made of ribware does not allow to omit the side seam. In the case of our 3S sweatshirts the side seams have to be included because of the fabrics heavier haptics. For the production of these sweatshirts we have only one special machine which warps the fabric for all sizes. Afterwards the fabric gets sewn together, which results in side seams.

ordering

How can I pay for my order?

We offer two options to pay for your goods: Credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) or PayPal. If you have neither of those, you can send us an e-mail with all relevant information concerning your order (articles, name, shipping address, billing address) to shop@merzbschwanen and we will try to find a solution for you. shop@merzbschwanen und wir werden sicherlich eine Lösung finden.

Are my credit card and personal data safe?

We guarantee that all your data will be secured and will be absolutely safe, as all of it is encrypted. You can find further information in our Datenschutzerklärung nachgelesen werden.

When is my credit card debited?

Your credit card will be debited as soon as you have placed your order. Processing time and payment showing up on your bank statement may vary.

How will I receive my invoice

Inside the package you receive, you will find both, invoice and delivery note.

When adding an article to my cart, will it be reserved until I place my order?

If an item is very popular the case may occur, that it is still available the moment you add it to your cart, but no longer at check-out. Reserving the articles until you place your order would lead to recurrent stock issues - so unfortunately no.

Why would it be useful to create an account to place an order online?

Creating an account makes it more convenient for you as well as for us. You won´t have to enter your information again if you place further orders, because they are automatically saved, which speeds up the whole process - and we make sure your data is safe.

shipping

How long will it take until I receive my order?

Can’t wait to unbox your goods? The delivery date depends on your location and the shipping option you choose. Please note that we count in full working days. From Tuesday to Friday, all orders placed before 11 am will usually be processed the same working day.

Standard

Express (if placed before 11am)

Within Germany

2 business days

the following business day

Within Europe

2-5 business days

within max. 3 business days

Outside of Europe

N/A

Delivery by UPS Express within 2-5 working days

My order has not arrived yet. What now?

We understand that you want to receive your package as soon as possible. Depending on your location, it can take up to 14 days until your package is delivered. Furthermore you can regularly check on your tracking number which you receive when your order is processed.

I live outside the European Union, how can I get the VAT deducted from my order price?

Prices displayed online include the 19% german VAT. If the shipping address is outside the European Union the VAT will be deducted at checkout. Please note that we cannot offer a refund of the VAT after the order is placed. When importing, additional taxes of the respective country the items may apply.

returns & exchanges

How can I return my Order?

You may return your order within 14 days after receiving. It would be very kind to notify us by email that you would like to return your order and the reason why you do so. The item, as well as its box have to be in the same condition as they arrived. We ask you to use the original package with damages for sending us your returned articles and case them adequately in order to avoid any damages during the transport. You are located in Germany? Inform us by e-mail at shop@merzbschwanen.com and we can send you a prepaid return label to facilitate the process. Please note that it will be deducted from the amount we refund you.

The item did not fit as expected, how can I exchange for another size or product?

We kindly ask to notify us by e-mail (shop@merzbschwanen.com) that you would like to have an exchange product. shop@merzbschwanen.com In order to facilitate the process we recommend placing a new order in our online shop and we will refund you the difference after checking your return.

Do I have to pay for the return of my order?

Unless you received defective articles or a faulty delivery, we don´t cover shipping costs for returns. If you would like an exchange product in this case we send it out at our own expense.

How can I get a refund?

Once we received your package and checked all items, we will refund the price of your returned items. It can take up to 14 days until the refund is processed. The time when the amount appears on your credit card/Paypal/bank account depends on your bank.

Care tips

Do Merz b. Schwanen clothes need to be washed before first wearing?

Merz b. Schwanen limits the use of harmful and polluting chemicals. All of our products can be worn immediately without any laundry before. For the personal sensation we recommend to wash the textiles before you wear them for the first time.

Do Merz b. Schwanen garments shrink with the first wash?

All of our 100% cotton garments will shrink during its first laundry. Organic and untreated cotton, which is not being pre-washed, results in an expected 2cm of shrinkage lengthwise, while the shrinkage in the width will be minimal.

How should the socks be washed?

We offer several types of socks made of different materials like cotton, merino wool and bamboo. In terms of the socks made of cotton and bamboo, there are no specific care instructions other than washing them carefully and if possible only by hand. Wearing the wool socks can cause sour pH-values when the material and sweat come together. Therefore you should wear woolen socks only one day and air them two days afterwards. The socks need to be washed every few weeks. We recommend washing the socks only with special wool detergents or shampoo, at best you should wash them by hand.

Can I also wash at a temperature lower than indicated in the washing instructions?

Merz b. Schwanen marks all products with the maximum temperature to wash. Of course, you can promptly wash the products at a lower temperature than stated, in order to save energy. In addition we recommend to use a spin-drier on a maximum of 1200 revolutions.

more questions?

Simply send us an e-mail to shop@merzbschwanen.com shop@merzbschwanen.com or give us a call +49 (0) 30 44318998-14. We're looking forward to speaking with you.